Clothes-holder.



L. L. PONDA.

CLOTHES HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 7, 1909.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

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L. L. FONDA.

CLOTHES HOLDER.

APPLIOATION FILED OCT. 7, 1909.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

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LILLIE LOUISE FONDA, OF TROY, NEW YORK.

CLOTHES-HOLDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed. October '7, 1909.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

Serial No. 521,507.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LILLIE LOUISE FONDA, a citizen of the United States, residing at Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothes-Holders, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying draw- 1ngs.

This invention has relation to certain new and useful improvements in clothes holders and has for its object to provide a device of this character which is adapted to suspend numerous articles which have been washed from a line to be dried.

Another object is to provide a clothes rack of such construction that it may be readily collapsed when not in use and compactly folded.

A further object is to provide a very simple device of this character which is adapted for use either indoors or out and is so constructed as to support a great number of pieces in a restricted space.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of' the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved rack suspended from a line; Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof; Fig. 3 is an end elevation; Figl is a detail fragmentary perspective view; Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the rack in folded position; and Fig. 7 is a detail section on the line 77 of Fig. 2.

Referring to the drawings 5 indicates a rectangular elongated frame which is formed of suitable non-corrosive wire and comprises the parallel longitudinal side members 6 and the transverse end members 7. As clearly shown in Fig. 2 the extremities of each of the side wires 6 are inwardly bent toward each other and flattened as at 8. The transverse end wires 7 are similarly flattened and pivotally connected to the ends of the side wires by the pins 9.

' Suspending members 10 are carried by the frame at each of its ends, and each of said members comprises a single length of wire, one end of which is permanently engaged around one of the frame wires 6, the other end thereof being removably engaged with the other of the frame wires 6. As shown the removable end of the suspending members extends around the-wire 6 and is bent over against itself as at 11 for resilient engagement with the frame wire. In attaching or detaching the suspending members to and from the frame, this end 11 is forced outwardly to engage around the frame wire, and is of such tension as to prevent its inadvertent release therefrom. The suspending members extend inwardly and upwardly from their opposite ends and are centrally formed with a hook 12. These hooks have their ends inwardly and outwardly bent and are adapted to resiliently engage with the clothes line and securely grip the same to prevent longitudinal movement of the rack thereon. A central suspending member 13 is also carried by the frame and comprises a single length of wire which is coiled as shown at 14 around one of the longitudinal frame wires 6. The end of the wire is extended transversely across the frame to the other of the wires 6 and is engaged resiliently therewith. The spring end 15 of the wire engages the similar termination 15 at the other end of the wire which likewise extends around the frame wire 6.

Between its ends the member 13 is formed with the hook 16 which engages with the clothes line in a similar manner to the hooks 12 of the members 10, and is formed by extending the wire inwardly and upwardly, said wire being twisted as shown at 17 to add additional strength and prevent distortion of the hook. The hooks 12 and 16 are in longitudinal alinement, and support the frame in a horizontal position when engaged with the line. It will be noted that the hook of the central suspending member is disposed in an opposite transverse direction to the hooks 12 of the end members. This will also prevent disengagement of the hooks from the line which might be occasioned by the swinging of the frame in a high wind.

A plurality of wires 18 are transversely arranged between the frame wires 6 in parallel relation. Clothes supporting hooks 20 are coiled about the frame wires opposite to the ends of the wires 18 as shown at 19. These hooks extend outwardly of the frame and have their inner ends flattened as shown at 21. The ends of the wires 18 are also flattened as at 22 and are disposed upon the inner ends of the hook wires to which they are pivotally connected by means of the pins 23.

In the use of the device, the hooks 12 and 16 of the suspending members are engaged upon the clothes line 24, the extremities of the hooks frictionally engaging with the line to securely grip the same; The articles which have been washed are now placed upon the transverse wires 18, the hooks 20 being more especially adapted to support the starched articles. The transverse portion of the wire forming the central suspending member may also be utilized to support an article to be dried. .In this man ner a great many different pieces may be supported from the rack in a restricted space, and after they become dry and it is no longer desired to use the device, it may be removed from the line and the frame wires 6 folded inwardly toward each other, the end-wires 7 swinging on the ends of the members 6 and also folding inwardly into longitudinal parallel relation therewith. As the frame is collapsed, the wire upon which the ends of the suspending members 10 and 13 are engaged will force the spring ends 11 of .the members 10 and 15 and 15 of the member 13, outwardly and disengage the suspending members therefrom. The coiled portions 19 of the hooks 20 are closely engaged about the frame wires 6, the ends of the wires 18 turning upon the pivot pins 23 as the frame is collapsed. Thus the entire device may be compactly folded and stored away until again required.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a device which while extremely simple in its construction," is admirably adapted for the purpose in view, and can be quickly attached or detached to or from a clothes line.

The device is entirely constructed of wire, thus conducing to its inexpensive manufacture, it may be used with equal facility either indoors or out, and where the space in which the clothes are to be hung is very limited,a rack as above set forth is especially desirable.

It will be obvious that numerous minor modifications may be resorted to within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a rectangularframe, a suspending member at each end of said frame, said members each being formed of a single length of wire having its ends secured to the sides of said frame, a hook formed centrally in said wire, said hooks being disposed above the frame in a common direction, a central suspending member formed of a single length of wire coiled upon one side of the frame between its ends, the ends of said wire being secured to the opposite side of said frame, said wire having a hook formed intermediate of its ends disposed in an opposite direction to the first named hooks, and a plurality of outwardly extending clothes supporting hooks carried by said frame.

2. A device of the class described comprising a rectangular collapsible frame, a sus pending member at each end of said frame, said members each being formed of a single length of wire having one of their ends removably engaged with said frame, the other ends of said wires being permanently secured to the frame, a hook centrally formed in each of said wires, said hook disposed above the frame, and a central suspending member carried by said frame, and permanently attached thereto between its ends said member being formed of a single length of wire, the ends of said wire being removably engaged with the frame, said wire being formed into a hook between its ends, said hook being disposed in longitudinal alinement with the first named hooks, and a plurality of clothes supporting hooks carried by said frame.

3. A device of the class described comprising a rectangular wire frame, consisting ofv parallel side and end wires pivotally connected together, suspending members carried by said side wires at the ends of the frame,

one end of said members being permanently engaged upon one of the side wires, the other 7 pending member.

1. A device of the class described comprising a collapsible wire frame, said frame comprising the longitudinal side wires and transverse'end wires, the extremities of each of said wires being flattened, the ends of said wires being pivotally connected, said longitudinal wires being adapted to fold inwardly, a plurality of parallel transverse wires arranged between said longitudinal wires, a clothes supporting hook coiled about each of the longitudinal frame wires opposite to each of said transverse wires and having its inner end pivotally connected to one end of said transverse wires, and a plurality of suspending members carried by said frame, said members being permanently en- 'gaged with one of the longitudinal wires and removablyengaged with the other of 7 said longitudinal wires, each of said members bem-g formed of wire and having a hook formed intermediate of its ends, said hooks being adapted to engage upon a clothes line to support said frame.

5. A device of the class described comprising a rectangular collapsible clothes supporting frame, suspending members carried at the ends of said frame, each of said members having a hook formed intermediate of its ends, one end of said members being removably engaged with the frame and adapted to be detached therefrom when the frame is collapsed, the other end of said members being permanently attached to the frame and a central suspending member carried by said frame, said member being permanently I attached to the frame between its ends the ends of said members having resilient detachable engagement therewith, said member having a hook formed intermediate of its ends, said hook being disposed in longitudinal alinement with the first named hooks and oppositely thereto, each of said hooks being adapted to have resilient engagement with a clothes line to suspend said frame.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. LILLIE LOUISE FONDA. lVitnesses:

EFFIE N. SLOAT, JAMES R. Forum. 

